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What's Public? What's Not?

Federal and state laws safeguard student records from unauthorized inspection or use and provide parents and “eligible” students with certain rights. The What’s Public? What’s Not? document is provided to CISD parents in an effort to communicate standard operating procedures and parent rights regarding the release of information.

ATTENTION PARENTS: Most Student Information Is Confidential

Virtually all information pertaining to individual student performance (i.e. individual test scores, grades, discipline records, medical information, etc.) is considered confidential and is not released without a parent’s consent.

“Directory Information” Is Public Unless Parents Make A Request In Writing
Certain information about district students is considered “directory information” and will be released to anyone who follows the procedures for requesting the information unless the parent or guardian objects to the release of the directory information about the student. If you do not want Carroll ISD to share directory information with requestors, you must indicate your wishes during the online enrollment verification process or in writing to the principal.

Carroll ISD has designated the following information as "directory information" for school-related or school-sponsored purposes: student name, address, telephone listing, electronic mail address, photograph, date and place of birth, major field of study, degrees, honors and awards received, dates of attendance, grade level, most recent educational institution attended, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, and weight and height of members of athletic teams.

Carroll ISD has also designated the parent’s email address as directory information for school-related or school-sponsored purposes.

For all other purposes, directory information shall include student name, address, telephone listing, and grade level.

Keep in mind,

  • The law gives parents the right to have their child’s “directory information” kept private. The information may be restricted to outside parties if the objection is made in writing to the principal within ten school days after the parent or student has been provided this notice. For your convenience, a FERPA permission form is provided by CISD at the beginning of the school year as part of the “annual student verification” process. Parents are asked to answer yes or no to the release of their child’s directory information as follows:  1) completely restrict  2) school-related  3) military  4) public
  • If you wish for your child’s directory information to only be used for school-related purposes, select yes to “school-related” and no to all others. Selecting YES to PUBLIC makes your child’s name, address, telephone number and grade level open (available) to ANYONE who requests it.

Special Notice To Parents:
Requesting that all student “directory information” be “completely restricted” may keep your child from being honored in the school yearbook, press releases, publications, etc. Because of this fact, many parents ask that the district only restrict their child’s directory information from public requestors (answer yes to school-sponsored and no to public requestors). This prevents the unwanted solicitations and/or junk mail, but allows the school district the ability to include the child’s directory information in press releases, publications and yearbooks.  Parents who want their child in the yearbook, CISD e-Blasts, press releases, etc. should mark yes in the box for “school-related release” on the FERPA Parent Signature Form.

Photographs
A parent’s request to withhold a child’s photograph must be made in writing annually to the child’s principal. A parent who does not want a photo released of their child for any reason (including yearbook), must answer “completely restrict” - on the FERPA Parent Signature Form. Please be advised that withholding a child’s photograph will mean that the child cannot be included in the school yearbook or any other district publication or website. Answering yes to “completely restrict” overrides all other answers on the form.

Staff & Student Telephone Directories
Carroll ISD does not publish a telephone directory of student and/or employee personal addresses or telephone numbers.

Telephone Notification System
Carroll ISD utilizes the Connect-ED telephone notification system that allows CISD to conduct emergency and attendance notifications through an automatic calling system. Students enrolled in CISD and all CISD employees are included in the system to be called, emailed and/or texted as deemed necessary and appropriate by CISD.

E-mail Addresses
Carroll ISD employee E-mail addresses are public and may be released upon request. CISD has designated the parent’s email address as directory information for school-related purposes only. Unless the parent answers yes to Completely Restrict, the parent’s email address will be released by CISD for school-related purposes only.

Video & Audio Recordings
State law allows videos to be taken of students for:

  • academic/classroom purposes,
  • safety demonstrations,
  • extra-/co-curricular participation, and
  • media coverage.

This letter serves as official notice that CISD’s Board & Community Relations Department will be videotaping students throughout the school year in an effort to communicate the district mission, vision and goals.

Web Site Photos & Social Media Accounts
Carroll ISD communication policies/procedures allow staff to use student photographs/images on the campus and district web pages and social media accounts providing that the information is school-related and an individual parent has not restricted such use in writing to the campus principal/district. These communication tools are used to honor students and chronicle events held at each child’s school/district using official CISD/campus accounts.

Viewing Your Child’s Records
The principal is custodian of all records for currently enrolled students and for students who have withdrawn or graduated. Records may be reviewed during regular school hours by appointment.  Additional district records are maintained by various department supervisors. For information about viewing district records, contact Assistant Superintendent Julie Thannum at julie.thannum@southlakecarroll.edu.

To request copies of records, please email publicinformation@southlakecarroll.edu or send written requests to Carroll ISD, 2400 N. Carroll Avenue, Southlake, TX, 76092.